His Black Secret

Chapter 18

I have just been traipsing through life lately.
From the project sight, then straight back to my flat. It has not been easy these past few days.
I have avoided the office like it's a war zone because to me it actually feels like that after that embarrassing incident.
I am just glad the project is almost over and I am not needed as much. I can't wait for it to be over, to finally put all this behind me.

" Hey Alex, I won't be around today because I have an appointment I can't miss, can you oversee to everything and keep me updated on any big changes or problems?"
I am confident that there won't be any unplanned changes but I just need to be sure.
I hit the send button and put my phone on the night stand.

The only human being I have had contact with is Alex these past days. He believes I'm under the weather. The flu has been my excuse to everyone around me, even to my mum who has been suspicious after our video call a few days ago.

The flu is a good backup story and I intend sticking with it.

I turn on my good side of the bed preparing to go back to sleep.

It has been so hard getting up or leaving my bed these past days but I do anyway just to be productive because I have a commitment to fulfill.
There has been countless missed calls from Jan and Sophie all trying to reach out but for different reasons.
At some point, I would have to answer Sophie's calls and go through the voice messages since I have been ignoring her for too long.

Not today though.

After telling her what happened at the office I asked for some time alone to heal and she has so far accepted it but that doesn't mean she stopped calling me though.
Like Sophie, Jan also calls me everyday even though I let it go to voicemail.

I am just ashamed of myself for leaving myself vulnerable to get played like this. I am ashamed to see the pitiful looks she might give me hence my reason for avoiding her.

I am just so tired of the whole situation. I want it to go away and pretend it never happened. I'm just tired of feeling sorry for myself to be honest. It is so hard pulling myself out of this funk I'm in. I wonder how people recover from situations like this so quickly. I am genuinely curious on how they do this.

My thoughts are interrupted by my duvet being pulled off me. I turn to see Sophie standing by my feet of my bed giving me the stink eye.

"Soph this is not the reason I gave you an extra key. It is supposed to be used only for emergencies"

I say to her while sitting up in bed.

" And what do you call this situation!"

She asks me with her hands on her waist.

'I'm okay, Soph."

"You are not okay. you are in bed on a Friday afternoon when you are supposed to be working. Just get up, let's go grab some lunch at your favorite Nigerian restaurant. Then we can go to the salon to get our nails done.
You can't say no because I already booked an appointment for three pm."

My best friend blubbers loudly by the bedside.

"I want to be alone and sleep Soph."

"That's not healthy. That's not good
for you! You should be around people who love you. Which is me. Besides I hate seeing you like this. Just come on! get up"
She says in whinny tone with a little pout that I can't help chuckling at.

I grab the cover from her and wind it around me tighter, pillow against my cheek, my eyes
barely parted.
I'm exhausted. I've never been this exhausted.

"Please, Sophie, I'm just resting, trying to get back to normal."

I try to convince her one last time hoping she takes the bait and leave.